rise
by MikazukiDreams
Summary: They say to forgive and forget. But I can't. I still can't. Because when you've been torn down by the boy you've loved since day one, forgiveness doesn't come so easily.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: **They say to forgive and forget. But I can't. I still can't. Because when you've been torn down by the boy you've loved since day one, forgiveness doesn't come so easily.

_**Standard disclaimer applies here**_

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**Rise**

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_Stronger than the stupid things we do and then regret_

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_Knock, knock._

"I'm coming!"

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Hold on a second!"

_Knock, knock._

"Holy shit can you not fucking _wait _one _second, _you-" I snap when I pull my door open, angry. It's Saturday and it's eight in the morning; more specifically, it's one of my only days off from the hospital and I prefer not to be disturbed before noon. The war had taken a toll on the villagers and shinobi alike, and I'd spent the last few months at the hospital with Tsunade, spending restless nights healing injuries and performing surgeries. It was an exhausting job, and I relished any moment of relaxation I can have. Apparently my knocker didn't think much about this, because I am _especially _cranky when I'm awakened before I'm supposed to be. It's not a pretty sight. I glare at the person at my door, because not only did they disrupt my peaceful, work-free day, it's also the last person I want to see. Ever. My face twists in distaste. My reaction is instant_. _

"What the _fuck_ do you want, Uchiha?"

-x-

He glares at me back (like he even has the nerve to, that piece of shit) and I take in his appearance- tense, rigid posture, dark circles under his obsidian eyes, his jet-black hair in disarray and his mouth set in a flat line. He looks deliciously unkempt, but I'd rather jump off a cliff and drown myself than feed his already overloaded ego.

"We need to talk," he says, completing ignoring the fact that I'm basically ready to murder him. He looks unfazed by my furious appearance, and looks at me, waiting for a response.

"It's eight in the morning. You've already ruined my day by being here. Leave." If it were me from, let's say, _five years ago_, I'd be squealing with delight. I'd be dying of happiness that my dear Sasuke-kun would walk to my house at eight in the morning wanting to talk to me. But that was then and this is now, and I'm now seventeen and a whole hell lot more responsible and reasonable than I was back then.

Sasuke looks annoyed with my attitude, and I couldn't care less. "No. We need to talk." His lips are curved downwards slightly in a frown, and he looks uneasy.

"I don't want to talk. There is nothing to say, okay? Can you just leave? It's early and I'm tired. Bye!" I give my best fake smile and move to shut (slam) the door in his face, but when I go and do that his hand shoots out, pushing the door back hard.

My temper flares and instantly, I'm beyond pissed. He had a tendency of pissing me off more and more lately, and I'm even surprised I haven't shattered every vertebra in his spinal column yet.

"I said we needed to talk," he says calmly, and I want to just smack him in the face. His closed-off facial expression snaps something in me. He's clearly unaffected by what he's done.

"I don't want to fucking talk," I seethe, my blood boiling, "not today or tomorrow or the day after or you know what? _Not ever. _Don't knock at my door, don't flag me down on the street, don't fucking show up at the hospital. I have nothing to say to you and I don't have the patience or the time to hear any bullshit coming out of your mouth." My head's spinning a hundred miles per hour and I have no idea where this courage is coming from, but I'm grateful. I need it now.

His reaction is as I'd expected it to be: impulsive, rash, and so goddamn _predictable_. I watch as his jaw clenches and a dangerous flare lights up in his eyes. "You're such a fucking _child," _he snarls, face twisted and instantly angry. I glare back, because I know that my Sasuke-kun from five years ago in nowhere to be found in this condescending boy. He's someone completely different.

"I come here to try to talk to you like a responsible adult," he continues, "but you're too immature for that. You know what? I don't fucking care. Stay mad. You're useless anyway."

What happens next I'm completely unaware of- unaware of my hand shooting out and making a forceful impact on Sasuke's cheek. It's pure instinct, because _nobody _talks to me like that, like I'm twelve years old again and _weak. _Like all I've trained for and all I've done is nothing.

I'm trembling in pure rage when I say, quietly, like the calm before a storm, "Go. Take your bullshit and just _go. _I don't want to speak to you ever again."

And with that I slam the door in his face, and I make sure he's gone before I break down on my kitchen floor and cry and cry and cry, for everything that was not meant to be.

-x-

I'm not mad at Sasuke because he'd left me on a stone cold bench in the park at midnight after I'd confessed my love to him.

I'm not mad at Sasuke because he's closer to Naruto than he is to me, because I understand that they're basically like brothers.

I'm not mad at Sasuke because he had a female on his team, that Karin girl (who is a lovely person, I must admit; she, Ino and I get along famously), whom I'd originally thought was my replacement.

No, I'm mad at Sasuke because he'd torn me down during the war. When Madara had us all trapped and I was trying to find a way to fix it, to restore Konoha to its former glory, to prove to him that I was finally at the same level as Naruto and him, he shut me down. All my years of training and working and training were put into question because of his comments.

"_What can you do? You're useless."_

"_Pointless. You can't do anything."_

And when I was pierced, did he care? No, he didn't. I didn't matter to him- I _don't _matter to him. He insulted my ability, tore down all my years of hard work, all in that condescending tone of his. I hated it. I hate _him_- at least that's what I tell myself.

After the war, several months after the reconstruction of Konoha, he'd approached me about healing him. I did, because I'm a medic and it's my job- not because I cared he was injured. By then I'd closed off; I'd been the distant one. Then he started showing up everywhere I went: work, the grocery store, the village square, wanting to talk. But would you want to talk to somebody who'd called you useless and pointless and basically declared all your efforts a waste?

He was the selfish one here. He only wanted to talk because I'd left that position empty. He only wanted to talk because he wanted to regain his supremacy in my heart, knowing that it'd give him power over me.

If I were honest with myself, I'd tell him that he wasn't kicked out from his throne in my kingdom of hearts. Instead, I'd tell him it was being blocked. A blockade. A quarantine. Something that'll protect it from being hurt again by him.

But we're all a bunch of liars and the truth is hard to come by.

-x-

I don't see him for an entire week, which I'm glad for. Instead I spend my Saturday out with Kiba, because he's nice. Boyishly charming and sweet. He takes me to Konoha Park, where all the pretty trees are blossoming pale pink flowers that float down from the branches like snow in the winter. Later that night, he takes me out to a fancy restaurant- a newly opened sushi place that was busy and bustling all day and night.

I dress fancy with a little black dress I'd borrowed from Ino, and I curl my hair and apply a light coat of makeup- I'm not very good at these things, since Ino usually does it for me. But she's out with Shikamaru right now, on their god-knows-what-number-date, and sometimes I'm envious of the relationship she has with Shikamaru. Familiar yet strange, like treading in ocean waters. But I'm happy for Ino, because she's my sister, my best fucking friend, and if she's happy then I am too.

Kiba and I stay out until midnight, and he walks me home under a blanket of stars. The weather is beautiful, and he is the perfect gentleman. I don't think about Sasuke. Almost.

And when he drops me off and bid farewell with a kiss on the cheek, I'm floating to my door, bathing in happiness. I haven't felt this way in a while.

I grab out my key from my black purse and as I unlock my door and step in, I hear a voice.

A deep, smooth, velvety voice that haunts my dreams and taunts my every waking moment.

"So you don't have time to talk to me, but you have time to go out with Inuzuka." Sasuke's standing at my door, appearing out of nowhere, mouth set into a deep frown. I ignore him and shut the door quietly in his face, fully expecting him to leave, but he doesn't. I hear his voice, low and deep and rich, through the thickness of the door.

"Is he good to you?" he asks, and words fall out of my mouth before they can be stopped. My resolve to ignore him crumbles.

"Yes," I say, speaking softly. "Yes, he is. Better than some guys have ever treated me." I take a deep breath. "Why are you here, Uchiha?"

I hear a sharp intake of breath from the other side of the door. Silence engulfs us, and right when I think he'd left, he speaks up again.

"I just wanted to apologize for whatever I'd done to you to make you upset. I didn't mean for my words to be so harsh."

And with those words that seep through the cracks of my armor I crumble and break. _Shatter_. There is no way of winning with this boy, who'd ripped out my heart so many years ago. If I were an immortal, I would spend eternity thinking of this boy. I feel tired, mentally and physically drained of all the fight in me. I'm tired of shedding unnecessary tears over this boy again, but sometimes it can't be helped.

A choked sob wracks my chest as I yank open the door. "_Whatever you'd done to me_? _Didn't mean for your words to be so harsh_? Uchiha you _degraded _me. You called me useless. You called me pointless. You didn't even give a shit that Madara hurt me!" He winces and opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "Maybe you don't care, Uchiha, but at least you could act like it. Maybe sometimes I wish I could be as good as you or Naruto, but this is the best I've got right now and I've worked for it. I've worked my ass off for this. I don't need you to tell me I'm weak and helpless when I'm not. I don't want to have to question everything I've ever done because of you and your measly comments.

"So please stop making it harder than it needs to be, okay? I accept your apology but that doesn't mean I believe it. But I know you don't care, so just leave me alone. Please." I'm out of breath and I look up and stare at him straight in the eye, although my tears blur my vision. "Goodnight, Uchiha."

"Sakura-"

"Goodnight."

-x-

I wake up to the sound of my blaring alarm clock, and like every other day of the week I slam my hand down in it, plunging the room into silence. Mondays are always the worst kind of days, since it feels like I'm emerging from a long hibernation and I haven't quite had enough rest.

My routine is the same, as well: brush my teeth, dress in my hospital uniform, grab some breakfast (or whip something up real fast; depends on what kind of day it is), and go. I'm at the hospital before most people are, before even Tsunade gets there. I take responsibility for my job and I do it well, and I don't need any doubt to cloud my judgment of my capability.

As usual, the busy nurses are hustling around; some of them look beyond tired. Some have been here since the day before, and it's time that they get a break. I walk into my office and grab my lab coat, and stroll into the nurses' station.

"You may take a break now, if you'd like," I say, and my co-workers look at me with relief. "You guys all look crazy tired. I'll take it from here."

Haruka, a sweet lady in her late thirties, looks at me with concerned eyes. "Sakura, you always work too hard. You've only had a couple days off to rest. I'll stay." She's such a kind lady; even though she has heavy dark bags under her eyes and the occasional yawn is escaping her lips, she's more worried for me.

"Haruka, you need to rest. Go home and rest up. Your daughter probably wants to spend some time with her mother, no? Take a week off. I'll be fine, don't worry!" I smile my best smile and she hesitates, before nodding in agreement. I watch as they leave, one by one, the ones that have been working for too long and for too hard. The nurses that have just arrived stay behind, watching me with careful eyes.

"Oh, Sakura, you're too kind," Yumi murmurs, shaking her head. "You always take care of other people. Who takes care of you?"

I open my mouth to reply, but I stop short. Who _does _take care of me? My parents? No, it's been a while since my mother and father have taken care of me; I grew more independent as I got older. Naruto? Nah, it's more like _I _take care of _him _more than anything. Ino? Shikamaru? Kiba?

…I don't really know.

-x-

The sound of light beeping wakes me up. I glance, disoriented, confused where I am. The bright red digits of my clock inform me I'm still in my office and it's around 3 a.m. I'd fallen asleep reading research papers at my desk.

The hospital is dimly lit and I shift, groaning as my back cracked. Something slips off my shoulders and my eyes shoot open.

To my surprise, it's a blanket; a thick, warm blanket that sheltered me from the coolness of the night. Did Yumi or someone catch me sleeping and brought me a blanket to keep me warm? The conversation with Yumi sparks in my mind as I think this- _Who takes care of you? _- and I smile. She must've been the one to do it.

I get up and stretch, but it's only then I notice my window is opened; barely, but wide enough for me to notice. My eyes trace around the room, and it lands on something that is rested on the leather couch in my office.

It's a bouquet of flowers, adorned with curls of blue ribbon.

They're my favorite flowers, too- lilies. Lilies of every colour and shape, bursting from the plastic wrap in an explosion of colours. I pick up the bouquet, cautious. Who could have left this? There's nothing but a small fancy card, a tiny square with the letter _I _in handwriting I don't recognize.

-x-

"No, it wasn't me," Yumi says, "and the nurses here were with me all night. None of them did it."

"Then who did?" I ask, more to myself than her.

"Maybe an admirer?" She picks up the fancy square card and inspects it. "I don't know what this means, but you should keep it. Maybe it'll end up in a bigger picture." She hands me the card and stands up, her blond curls bouncing. "I didn't see anyone come in, and we checked security- it's too dark to see anything."

"Check with Ino tomorrow," one of the other nurses, Asami, calls out. "Somebody had to have gone to her floral shop to get those flowers. You'll have your answer then."

Yumi grins. "Yeah! I didn't think of that! She places her hands on my shoulders. "Take the day off tomorrow, okay? No buts," she cuts in when I try to protest. "You work hard enough as is. C'mon, you're seventeen! You're supposed to be living life right now! You've been through a war and whole hella other things and it's time for you to enjoy yourself. Don't waste your childhood right now to be doing something you're going to end up doing when you're in your twenties, sweetie. Take tomorrow off. I don't want to see you here, understand?"

I look at Yumi's smiling face and feel the warmth of her constant support. "Okay," I whisper as I hug her. "Thanks for always watching out for me."

Her arms wrap around me and she says, "Don't worry about it. After all, somebody's gotta do it. I'm just glad there's somebody else out there that's looking out for you too."

And I think about the blanket and the subtle gesture makes my heart swell. Who could it be? What is the purpose of the card?

I need to know.

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_**To be continued…**_

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**Note: **Hollaaaa. been stashing this in my files for a while. thought i'd share; since it seems like the whole sasusaku thing is not turning out too well in the recent chapters. seriously. what the actual _fuck, _kishi?

tell me what you think!

- A


	2. Chapter 2

I wake up early the next morning; earlier than I've ever have before. I'm anxious to see Ino and even more anxious to find out exactly who this mysterious person is.

I'd put the flowers into a crystal vase in my office but I brought the little fancy card home. After observing it for hours, I couldn't think of anything. "_I" _as in what? Inuzuka, perhaps? But Kiba has never said anything about buying me flowers, nor would he know what my favorite flowers _were- _unless, of course, Ino told him.

But still…as much as I like Kiba, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy to sneak into my hospital office at three in the morning to throw a blanket over my shoulders to keep me warm. And if he'd left me those flowers, he would've at least left his name so I would know they were from him.

My mind clouds with the doubt of Kiba, which only makes me more restless. I can't sit still. Who could it be?

-x-

"I don't know, forehead," Ino murmurs, twirling the ends of her long platinum blonde hair. "It was busy the past couple of days, and I was gone for most of them. Maybe my mother had seen him? Gimme a sec." Turning to the back door, Ino calls out, "Mother! Did you see anyone come and buy a big bouquet of lilies?" Then, louder: "_Mother!"_

"Calm down, Ino! I'm coming!" I smile as I see Ino's mother, a gentle woman with light brown hair, emerge from the back storage room. As usual, her hair is perfectly styled, never a strand astray, and a kind smile on her face.

"Sakura, dear, how are you?" she asks, gathering me in her arms. "Oh, I haven't seen you in so long!"

I breathe in the floral scent that lingers on her shirt and wrap my arms around her as well. "I'm doing fine. Great, actually; it's just that the hospital has been very busy lately." Ino's mother's face looks on with understanding.

"I see." She then turns and glances at Ino. "Now, what were you saying?"

"Sakura would like to know if you'd seen anyone come in and buy a big bouquet of lilies within this week," Ino says. "Some mysterious person left a huge bouquet in her office at three in the morning and she has no idea who it might be."

Mrs. Inoichi's forehead creases before she answers hesitantly, "I'm not sure…" There's a brief pause before she says, brightly, "Wait! There was a nice boy who came in here a couple days ago. He was a pale young man with dark brown hair; nobody I've ever seen before. I don't think he's part of your Konoha 11. He was dressed like a civilian and very polite- he came in and asked quietly for three dozen lilies of all colours, paid _and _left a tip, and left without another word."

"How could a _civilian _sneak up on _forehead_, though?" Ino says, voicing my very thoughts. I may have been exhausted, but being a shinobi I'm alert. Usually I can detect one's chakra before they're even within my presence; I jerk awake more times than I'd like to at night from hearing sounds. Being in the war only made it worse for me; now, every little creak felt like an attack and my body is always restless.

So how come I didn't wake up when this supposed _civilian _snuck up into my office?

Ladders are incredibly loud, whether people believe it or not. The slight thump of a ladder on the side of the hospital wall would've surely awakened me. Or even the light sound of a rope being thrown; every little sound I notice.

"I don't know," Mrs. Inoichi says, "I just know that it has to be that boy. Blue ribbon, right?" When I nod, she continues. "Yes, that must be him. He asked specifically for a silk blue ribbon. How did he word it, again? Oh yes- '_a ribbon as blue as the summer sky.'_" Mrs. Inoichi's eyes sparkle, as if that were the most charming words she has ever heard. Ino rolls her eyes.

A loud sigh escapes my lips before I can stop it. "Okay," I say. "Thank you for your help, Mrs. Inoichi. You too, Ino," I add, turning to her. "I'd better be going; the hospital is so busy during the day." The smile I give is plastic and Ino know it.

"Oh, baby, you'll find him," Ino says, hugging him. "You deserve that more than anyone ever."

Oh, Ino. I hope so.

-x-

I walk to the hospital absentmindedly, my mind clouded with a million thoughts. I've never been more confused or stumped with anything in my entire life; I'd read through the most excruciating medical scrolls, performed the most difficult, high-risk surgeries, but nothing- absolutely _nothing- _left me as anxious as _this._

I don't know why I cared this much, either-maybe it's the fact that there's somebody out there that's actually looking out for me. Maybe it's the fact that there's actually a person out there who is taking the time to find out what my favorite flowers are. Maybe I just want to know.

I forget all about previous night's demand from Yumi, telling me to take the day off. So, of course, I didn't think much of anything until I walked into the cool hospital and Yumi's voice rings out, "Sakura Haruno, what are you doing here? It's your day off!"

I smile weakly and mumble, "I couldn't find out anything. There's nothing else to do today, anyway. Ino's going out with Shikamaru in a few hours and Naruto's gone with to the Hyuuga's. Tenten is out on a mission with Lee and Temari is, well, in Suna. So I may as well be _here."_

Yumi sighs and shakes her head. "Oh, Sakura. If you insist on being here, just go up to your office. There are a lot of us working on the floor today so you can just relax in your office."

"Thanks, Yumi," I grin gratefully, and stroll up the stairs to my grand office.

I close the door quietly behind me, but then I look around. What is there to do? I could read some medical texts, I suppose, glancing at one of my walls, covered in books from floor to ceiling.

I grab the thickest text in my shelf and bring it to the leather couch in my office, kicking off my shoes and plopping myself down. It's an intriguing book, bought by Tsunade, but the problem is that I can't focus. Every few ticking seconds results in me glancing at my window, at the sunlight that hits my crystal vase, igniting a rainbow while containing a rainbow of lilies inside. It's beautiful, and the thing is that it's so distracting because of the mystery behind it.

Before I'm even aware of what my body's doing, the book is slammed close and thrown down by the couch, and I walk barefoot to the window. The hardwood floors are cold but I don't mind. I'm mesmerized.

The petals are velvety soft, smooth as silk beneath my fingertips. The colours are vibrant and even more so in the midday sun. The stems of the flowers are sitting in pure water, glistening like liquid diamonds. The scent is sweet and delightful and fills the room. It's just so…_magical. _

I'm so lost I barely register the panicked voices of the nurses outside my heavy door, exclaiming _'No, sir! No, you shouldn't- no, she's busy-"_

And then the door slams open, revealing a _very _annoyed, badly injured Sasuke Uchiha.

-x-

I haven't seen him since our last conversation; the conversation I physically cringe to every time I think about it. Did I seriously _cry _in front of him? Why did I open the floodgates for the same boy again? I cringe as I remember my tearful plea:

'…_just leave me alone. Please.'_

He didn't take that too seriously, obviously, since he's here. Again.

"What do you think you're doing?" I snap as he strolls casually in the room, shutting the door on the astonished (and incredibly sorry-looking) nurses that awaited outside. He's got cuts _everywhere _and by the way he's slightly cringing as he walks and his loose-hanging arm, he's got some broken bones and a dislocated shoulder.

"I need you to heal me," he says, low and demanding as usual.

So he's dripping blood all over my hardwood floor and he's an asscrown and he actually has the nerve to push my co-workers around, interrupting me to heal him? All this, even after I told him to leave me alone? _Why?_

I look at him dead in the eye, and with a voice of ice I say, "Those nurses out there are more than capable of healing your injuries. Now if you'd excuse me, I'd like to-"

"I don't want them to. I want you to."

"Well you know what, Uchiha? Sometimes you don't get everything you want in life. Close the door behind you when you leave, please."

He doesn't move. "I don't want any of them to touch me," he says quietly.

"And you want _me _to?" The words tumble out of my mouth, incredulous. He averts his eyes, turning and noticing the flowers brightening up my window.

"Those are…nice," he says, his voice cold. "Who got you those?"

I stiffen immediately, and hesitate before answering. "From a _friend_," I say cattily. "Is it any of your business?" I walk over to the couch to retrieve my shoes, but he stands as if he's frozen in place, glaring at my beautiful lilies. His eyes are dark and unreadable, but his posture speaks volumes- he's tense, muscles coiled as if he's ready to attack.

After a long period of silence, he murmurs, "No. I suppose not." Robotically, he turns and walks slowly towards the door, before I stop him.

"Didn't you want me to heal you?" I ask. He shakes his head.

"No. I'll do it myself." There's something in his voice, an emotion I don't quite recognize.

I sigh, exasperated. He caused a scene coming in, and no doubt will create another scene leaving if he were still bleeding. "Come here," I say, gesturing him over. "You're losing too much blood."

To my surprise he obeys, walking over to me and sitting down on the plastic chair beside my desk. He winces as he grabs his arm, face twisting in pain.

"Looks like Naruto gave you one hell of a training session," I comment, but Sasuke doesn't say anything. _Okay then._

His rigid posture eventually relaxes as my hands roam over his body, the warm glow of my green chakra healing his injuries. He doesn't look at me at all, though, choosing instead to fix his intense stare at the wall behind my head. I wonder what's going on in his head, what's he's so focused on. With Sasuke, you never know what he's thinking- and while his mysteriousness is one of the traits that make girls fall for him, I've always wondered about the thoughts that spin in his head.

As if he can read my mind, he says calmly, "I didn't train with Naruto. I did it myself." He meets my eyes for the first time since I'd started tending his injuries, and I see that his eyes seem empty. Flat. Dead, almost. I don't know what to say, so I say nothing.

When I'm done with his wounds, when there's barely the trace of scars on his arms and legs and chest, I back up and plaster a smile on my face. Friendly service, as Ino would call it. Service with a smile.

"Okay, you're good to go. Go home get some rest and don't push yourself too hard." It's my usual post-healing scold, the one I always give Naruto, but even as the words fall from my lips I can tell they lack something: emotion, and not just any kind- _genuine _emotion. But with Sasuke, I don't know what to feel anymore. I don't want to think about it.

Sasuke nods once, a short and curt nod. He then stands up and breezes past me, heading for my door. As he turns the knob, right before he exits, he turns and whispers "Thank you."

I'm left with my jaw dropped and my heart kicking into overdrive, despite my brain's protests.

-x-

"So, that Uchiha boy sure likes you," Yumi teases me later that night, around seven. It's finally quieted down in Konoha Hospital, and we all sit down by the nurses' station, discussing the day's events. The most important one, as the other nurses _all _decided for (except for I, the only reasonable one), the arrival of Sasuke Uchiha.

"He wouldn't even listen or look at _any _of us," Asami complains, looking at me with a glint in her eye. A slow smile stretches across her face. "All he wanted was _you-u-u-u!" _

"Probably because I'm the only that can deal with his shit," I mutter. "He won't leave me alone for some reason. Honestly, that's what he probably wished for his entire life. But now I give him this opportunity and he refuses it. He's just a stubborn ass!"

Yumi laughs a hearty laugh, while the other nurses giggle. "Sakura, from the stories your friends have told me, you were in love with that boy before. Listen to you now," she laughs while shaking her head. "I don't know if I should be proud of you for being so smart, or call you stupid because of your stubbornness. Because clearly that boy has some feelings for you."

I blush, not because she tells me that there's a possibility that Sasuke may like me, but the embarrassment of knowing how foolish I was as a child.

"Whatever," I mumble. "I'm over it now."

"But _are _you?" Yumi challenges, eyebrows arched and a know-it-all glint in her deep brown eyes. She never fails to get me thinking. At twenty-six years old, Yumi is one of the youngest nurses Konoha Hospital has to offer, but her knowledge seems beyond her years. It's not that she looks old, either- her hair is a mass of caramel curls that tumble down her back in graceful swirls and she wears these cute glasses when she reads. Yumi's unmarried, but I feel as if there will be a wedding in the horizon; she's been with her boyfriend for _years. _She looks like a teenager but speaks like a wise old man, dresses like a professional and nags like a mother. She'd be a wonderful mother.

"I don't even try to think about it," I admit. "He's just…_ugh. _He grates my nerves." Yawning and running a hand through my messy pink tresses, I ask, "Hey, are you guys going to be good for the night? I want to take a nap."

"Go ahead," Yumi says softly, taking my lab coat and placing it onto the hanger in the station. "We're good for tonight. Doesn't seem like it's going to get any busier; rush hour's done for today. Get a good night's rest, you hear me?"

Another yawn escapes my lips as I murmur a goodnight in return to all of the nurses. It's bee a long day.

-x-

The sun is just setting as I arrive home- the sky a canvas of pinks and oranges and reds. It's breathtaking and I turn backwards while unlocking my door, marveling at the sight. I take a small step back, glancing around, when my heel comes in contact with something.

I whip around to find a medium-sized red pink heart box, wrapped up in a silky red bow. A little card is attached, the exact same material and size as the card that came with the bouquet of lilies, except this time the card says '_M'. _

I pick up the box, a whirlwind of emotions bursting in my chest. I inspect the pink box, and it says nothing but the store where it came from: Kyandi's Shoppe, the place where I get these delicious truffles that I absolutely adore. Kyandi, a sweet old lady that owns the shop, had offered me some the first day she'd made them, and they'd been my most favorite dessert since. This, however, only sets off a chilling feeling in my spine- I have a feeling that inside this box I will find truffles.

Carefully I tear off the red ribbon and slide it into my pocket with the card. I grab the lid and lift and…

…sure enough, nestled in a luscious cushion covered in gold, are twenty-four truffles, each individually wrapped in silvery paper.

I barely choke down the scream of annoyance.

_What the hell is going on?_

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_**To be continued….**_

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**note: **just wanted to say thank you to all of you who reviewed/favorited/followed, you guys are great and i really appreciate the feedback. not nearly done with this story just yet cuz i'm having fun writing this.

somebody mentioned that i should switch the POV between sasuke and sakura each chapter, but i feel like if i did that now a huge part of my story will be lost (and if you think you know what i'm talking about, it's going to be bigger than that. you'll see). so bear with me on my sakura-narrating, and i'm probably going to rewrite this story as a companion fic with all of sasuke's wonderful thoughts.

anyhow, tell me what you think!

-A

PS: if you're a fan of JinnySkeans (Daisy), please please please don't send her emails saying like "oh you should be grateful people actually want to copy-and-paste your work". because she is the goddess of FFnet and she was thinking about coming back until she read emails like that. so please, _**don't plagiarize**_ (i can't emphasize that enough cuz plagiarism's fucking lame and you know it) and send nice emails if you're even going to send any at all!


	3. Chapter 3

"Good morning, my lovely Sakura," Kyandi says pleasantly. If she's surprised at my early arrival to her confectionary shop, she doesn't show it. I wouldn't blame her, though, if she were to look even the slightest bit horrified; I'd gotten about two hours of sleep the previous night, paranoid and anxious of the fact that there's somebody out there that's doing this for me, without wanting me to find out. I know for a fact that there are dark circles painted under my eyes and my hair is an absolute wild mess, and I am wearing my ratty old pajamas from _years _ago.

"Good morning, Kyandi," I reply, yawning. "If you have some time, I'd like to ask you a few questions. If you don't mind, of course," I add in quickly. It's not rush hour yet, being so early in the morning, but Kyandi probably likes to prepare her recipes during this spare time she has.

Kyandi smiles brightly and gestures me closer. "Of course I have time! Come! What would you like to know, my dear?" Her sparkling gray eyes wait for me patiently; I relax under her watchful gaze.

"Did anybody come in and buy a box of truffles? My favourite ones? Packaged in a—"

"…Pink heart box and a red bow, with twenty-four truffles wrapped in silver?" Kyandi finishes, eyes glittering in knowledge. At my shocked expression, she says coyly, "I have not met a young man quite as charming as the one who bought those truffles yesterday. _I'd like a silky red ribbon, please, like an angry blush of an autumn day, _he said. When I asked why, he'd simply declared that he could only buy the best for the lady of his dreams." Kyandi swoons, clearly caught up in the memory of whoever this person is.

This guy must have a way people, then; the parallels between Kyandi's reaction and Mrs. Inoichi's reaction are rather similar— both amazed and charmed over by this mystery guy's charisma. "Kyandi," I say hesitantly, breaking her out of her fangirl trance, "could you tell me what he looked like? Was he a shinobi?"

Part of me is hoping she'll ramble off a more detailed description of the character I don't quite know personally, and another part is dreading the fact that if she does that, I'll feel indebted to somebody who I don't know.

"Oh, he might've been a shinobi, but I've never seen him before. He doesn't look like the type to indulge in sweets very often. Very fit boy, I tell you, with such a pale complexion and lovely black eyes. And his hair! Such lovely hair! Silky black and completely straight at the back. He had such a gentle smile."

My blood freezes when she mentions the black hair instead of brown, and the first thing that appears in my mind is an image of somebody I know— somebody who knows _me _well. But he's…he's not a civilian, and Mrs. Inoichi would have recognized him. But then— _how?_

I force a smile on my face. "Thank you, Kyandi," I say, waving as I walk out her front door. "I'll come see you soon for more truffles!"

Kyandi laughs and winks. "I'm counting on you for that!"

And I almost trip over my feet down the street, because my mind is in such a jumble and my feet feel like they're moving unconsciously towards training ground three.

-x-

"Sai!" I call out when I see him. I didn't expect Sasuke and Naruto to be here as well, but they are. I hate how my heart starts to hammer when Sasuke rests his obsidian eyes on me, quickly avoiding his eyes and instead turning my attention away, scanning the (completely demolished, now) training ground. I always knew that Naruto and Sasuke have their manly spars at least once a day, but lately I guess they've been including Sai in their daily rumbles.

Instead of Sai, I'm greeted instantly by my dear blonde friend. "Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaims, and suddenly I'm wrapped up in his muscular arms, surrounded with the smell of sweat and grime. "I haven't seen you in so long!" He plants a kiss on my temple and flashes a wide grin.

I swat him away playfully. "I've been busy," I say, and adding in teasingly: "Plus, I haven't seen you in the hospital. I take that your training sessions have been going well?"

"Yes!" Naruto replies at the same time Sai walks up beside him, looking at me calmly. Sasuke also falls into the place on the other side of Naruto, expressionless as usual.

"Hello, ugly." Sai smiles faintly. "You called for me?"

"Hello, asshole," I reply just as fast. "Were you in Kyandi's Shoppe the other day?"

A small frown morphs on Sai's face as his eyebrows furrow. "No, I do not recall entering any shop. I have been gone for missions since last week. Why do you ask? Were you attempting to stalk me? I read in a book once that—"

"No, no, no!" I cut him off quickly. "No. It's just that somebody bought me chocolates from Kyandi's and when I asked, she gave me a perfect description of _you._"

The boys' responses make me crack up. "Somebody bought you chocolates?" Naruto says, with wide eyes. "A _boy? _Did he run this through with me yet?" At the same time, Sasuke's stoic face turns dark, eyes narrowing maliciously as he stares down a tree to his right. Sai merely continues to look confused.

"I do not recall purchasing any sweet for you, either," he murmurs, frown deepening.

I throw my hands up, frustrated. "I don't understand! First the flowers, now chocolates? Who _is_ this person?"

Naruto's jaw drops. "_Flowers, _Sakura-chan? Flowers _and _chocolates? And you didn't tell me about this? This mysterious _man _who's stalking you and wooing you secretly? I need to put him in his place!"

"Shut up, dobe," Sasuke murmurs under his breath, a silently furious tremor in his voice. "I'm leaving," he says murderously. He turns around and stalks away from the training ground, posture stiff and unyielding.

"What's up with him?" Naruto wonders, just as Sai notes, "It seems as though the traitor is jealous. I read in a book once—"

I cut Sai off again. "I'm sorry, I gotta go," I say in rush. "I'm late for my shift at the hospital. I'll see you two around! Try not to cause too much trouble, yeah?"

I leave my two teammates in the dust, with one staring at me in bewilderment and the other in amusement.

-x-

When I arrive at the hospital, Yumi is already waiting at the door with a look of disapproval etched on her face.

"Sorry," I say apologetically, but Yumi hold ups her hand, shushing me.

"Sakura, how many times do I have to tell you that _you need to take a break? _Seriously, girl, you're a teenager and you should be enjoying your life right now. The war's over and honestly, instead of stressing yourself out with more things to do, take a break! I'm glad I didn't send Ino back to your house, anyhow— I had a feeling you'd come here instead."

I look at her in surprise when Ino pops out from behind Yumi, a wide grin stretched on her face. Instead of her usual nin wear, Ino's wearing teal shorts and a flowered tank top— one of her civilian outfits.

"Forehead!" she exclaims running up to me and linking her arm through mine. "You and I are going to be spending a refreshing, work-free day together! Now isn't this great?" Swinging her long ponytail back and giving Yumi a wink, she starts dragging me out of the front doors of the hospital.

"But…"

"No buts! C'mon, we're going to have some fun today! But first," Ino stops and scrutinizes my attire, which consists of my normal nin wear, "Let's get you home so you can change into something more…fun."

-x-

Two hours later, dressed in little white shorts and a loose yellow top, I wander along the streets with Ino. Hooked on my arms are bags— bags filled with new clothes I don't think I'd ever have the time to wear, accessories I may never use, and books, _fictional _books, that I may never have the time to enjoy. But I buy them anyway because Ino is persuasive and cheerful, and I know she's doing this just for me.

"Hey!" Ino says, jerking my arm, "Let's go see that new jewelry shop that opened!" She waves her arm feverishly at the newly opened shop by the newly refurbished clothing store we just exited (after buying like, ten thousand things). After the war, Konoha moved rapidly to modernize and replace the fallen or older buildings, following the steps of the other villages like Ame or Kumo. We're not quite as modernized yet, but we're getting there— slowly and steadily.

I trail after Ino into the cool store, with its sleek design and bright lights. We marvel over the gorgeous jewelry they sell— delicate bracelets embellished with rubies and sapphires, crystal diamond drops in the form of elegant earrings, strands of pearls and emeralds in a necklace— before moving on to the ring section.

"Wow," Ino marvels at the sight of the hundreds of sparkling rings, of all shapes and sizes colours. "But…_ouch," _she adds, wincing at she looks at the prices of the jewelry. A smile quickly replaces her split-second frown. "Hey, isn't that one pretty?" she says, pointing at a gold and silver rope ring.

"It is," I murmur, as my eyes fall onto the prettiest ring I've ever seen. The band of the ring is slim and the design is simple, but my attention is drawn to it nevertheless. The white gold ring bands around and forms a tiny heart, connected by two links of a chain on each side of the heart. A glittery diamond is nestled at the centre of the tiny heart, sparkling in the store lights.

It's…beautiful, but— as I look at the price tag— insanely expensive. I sigh, and turn my head, only to find Ino right beside me, glancing adoringly at the same ring.

"That is beautiful," she breathes, baby blue eyes looking up and meeting mine. "Isn't it?"

I nod and open my mouth to reply, but our conversation is disrupted by a friendly male voice.

"Hello! Can I help you with anything?" In front of us is a middle-aged man with a shiny bald head and kind brown eyes. On his nametag, it reads _Ryuga. _

"We're just looking," Ino says, flashing him an award-winning smile. I follow suite, and Ryuga grins.

"The jewelry here is beautiful," I comment, gesturing to the many displays. "Has business been good lately?"

Ryuga looks surprised. "As a matter of fact, yes, it has been," he says cheerfully. "The war has, um, I guess you could say— _opened _the eyes of some. People are buying promise rings and spoiling their spouses with jewelry and talking about engagements and weddings, believing that they should take each day at a time, which is good." And he beams brightly, "Sometimes you just need to forget the past and move on, you know?"

He stares right at me when he says that, and I feel vulnerable, like this stranger has stripped me down right to my soul just by one simple but powerful phrase.

_It's a more complicated than that, _I want to argue, but I don't. Because arguing that would only mean bringing up the past, and I'm doing just fine without Sasuke Uchiha. I'm too busy.

I am.

-x-

It's way later into the night until I finally arrive home, after stopping at the hospital (and getting ushered out by Asami, on Yumi's orders) and grabbing some dinner.

Arms crowded with shopping bags, I maneuver my way down the empty street, illuminated by the streetlights. The moon is already up in the sky and a blanket of darkness has replaced the clear blue sky, and I feel exhausted unexpectedly from running around all day. My arms are a bit sore and my legs are cramped, but it's only one more block before I reach home. I'd take the short way, of course, by jumping the rooftops, but I don't want to lose or drop any of my purchases along the way, so…

…onwards I walk.

The night is peaceful, though, and I relish the cool breeze that rustles the trees. It's so different from the war, when we were all paranoid and afraid; afraid to walk outside alone, afraid of what hid in the shadows.'

A smile graces my lips as I continue walking, my footsteps crunching the sand beneath my feet. The war is much easier to move on from than the damage my heart has been through.

-x-

"Hey."

I feel goosebumps rise all over my skin and my alertness heightens, as somebody falls into step beside me. I'd been so focused I'd completely ignored his presence, but now it's everywhere— surrounding me so I can't escape.

"Uchiha," I say coolly, hiding my uneasiness. "What are you doing here?" He's casually strolling beside me, his hands tucked in the pockets of his shorts and his face, as usual, stoic. He doesn't look at me when he answers.

"Nighttime walk. Do you want me to carry that for you?" he asks, looking out of the corner of his eye at my multiple shopping bags.

I tighten the grip on my bags unconsciously, and reply, "No, I'm good. I can carry this on my own, thanks."

An exasperated sigh tumbles out of his lips, almost inaudible, as I feel him grab the bags out of my arms and into his. I try not to stare as the muscles flexed under his t-shirt, so lean and strong and…

…_snap out of it, Sakura!_

Blinking and replacing my expression into that of a glare, I hiss, "Give me them back. I can carry them myself!"

I try to grab at them, but he's so much taller and he easily evades my seizing hands. Ignoring me, he turns down my street, not even looking at me once. He moonlight hitting his face makes him look even more uncharacteristically beautiful, if that's even possible— outlining the strong lines of his jaw and making his pale skin glow. He's dressed casually, but he still looks ridiculously handsome.

How is this even fair?

We continue to walk in silence until I see my house, and feel a wave of relief wash over me. When we reach the door, I retrieve my bags almost eagerly from his arms, anxious to get away from him.

"Thank you," I say lightly, standing at my doorstep and giving him a small smile of appreciation. "Good night!" I move to close the door, but then he stops me.

"Those chocolates," he starts, voice faltering slightly. He straightens. "Those chocolates. Are you going to eat them?"

"Uh, well, yeah," I shrug. "And if they're poisoned with some toxin, I'll just heal myself. It's all good."

"Who's the guy?" he demands, meeting my eyes. They're frustrated, I see, and he's struggling with some kind of inner turmoil. Hm.

"Nobody," I say breezily, and his jaw clenches. "It's nobody. Thank you and good night, Uchiha."

"Goodnight," he grinds out. He turns and walks away stiffly. Normally I'd be pissed at his nosiness and his bossy attitude, but this time I can't bring myself to lash out a comeback.

It's hard to hate somebody who keeps worming their way back into your heart.

-x-

I dump all off my bags on my couch and wandered into the kitchen room, getting something to drink from the fridge. Pulling the hair tie out of my hair and throwing my empty water bottle onto the table, my gaze skims briefly over something tiny and dark, placed in the centre of my kitchen table. _What? _

Approaching it, I notice that it's a deep blue velvet box, tied up with a smooth turquoise ribbon. Attached to the ribbon is another fancy card, decorated with the letter _'S'. _I untie the ribbon and cautiously open the small box.

Inside, nestled between two midnight blue cushions, is a white gold ring— more specifically, _my _ring, the one I'd been admiring at Ryuga's jewelry store today. The expensive one. Why would anyone buy this for me?

But who'd been there? Only Ino and Ryuga. Who could have known? It couldn't have been Ino; she only had a little bit of money left after we shopped for clothing. And I've never seen Ryuga before in my entire life; I'm pretty sure he'd only met me today as well.

I stare at the gorgeous ring, a troubled feeling rising in my chest, impossible to dampen down.

_So, who?_

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_to be continued..._

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**note: **and i'm still in shock bc england is out of the world cup. un-_fucking_-believable.

tell me what you think!

-A


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